Meet Donna Worcester

---

Donna Worcester serves Fayette County as Coordinator of the local Community Literacy Action Program. She began volunteering as a tutor in 1992. Following a successful tenure, former Program Director Ed O’ Brien encourgaed her to take on more areas of responsibility. She found her niche training volunteer recruits in the Fall of 1995.

“At present, we are using Literacy Volunteers of America as our training program guide,” Ms. Worcester said. They provide us with current training materials such as games, videos and workbooks that help conduct training sessions.” New recruits are trained to work with students from a variety of backgrounds. Shortly after a survey of needs was conducted in 2000, it was determined that Fayette County needed tutors for non-native English speakers. Worcester used the format she had developed to design an ELP training seminar.

At least 32 nations or cultures are represented in the county, so Ms. Worcester works closely with Griffin Technical College Adult Education Coordinator, Peter Volin in Service Delivery Area 29. When students show up at Griffin Tech looking for adult education classes or possibly ELP services, a thorough assessment is conducted. They are then matched with a volunteer suited to help them reach their goals. Volunteer trainers are open to anyone in the community in need of services.

Worcester, herself, appears at area business, civic, and other community functions to recruit volunteers. She and Volin are diligent in their desire to help students create a game plan to further their educations. This plan may encompass immediate career goals to pursuing a higher degree.

New students come into class based on the recommendations from their family members, friends or neighbors. Brochures and other informational pamphlets at the library and public advertisents placed in the newspaper help reach students and volunteers.

The goal of the program is to serve as many people in need as possible. However, while student participation increases, the need for more volunteers rises with it. Getting more people in the community to help students get proficient in English Literacy is a key focus of the program. One hour per week is the minimum the program asks of its volunteers, but most volunteers give more of their time than that.

The Literacy Advisory Committe meets quarterly to assess the programs that are currently available and discuss how to better meet the needs of the community. Ethnic demographics show 16 perecent of the Caucasian population and over 60 percent of the Hispanic population require some form of literacy services.

Donna Worcester and her husband initially arrived in Georgia, by way of Northeastern Ohio, after a business transfer in 1989. Their plan was to head up a small manufacturing firm. Donna worked in the front office where she met entry level applicants who could not fill out the simple job application form. When she brought this to the attention of a local foreperson, she was told that many of these people could not read. “I was shocked and dismayed and wanted to find out how I could help, “ she said.

She was referred to the local Adult Literacy program through an artcle in the newspaper. She enrolled in a class that trained one of the very first groups of tutors in the area, and she has been active with literacy programs since.

“I get a lot of personal satisfaction from watching the magic that occurs when a person realizes they can read independently. It takes patience, but the rewards make the time and effort we spend worthwhile.”

Walter L. Dunn
Adult Literacy Director
Griffin Technical College
Griffin, Georgia
Service Delivery Area 29